Juapong District of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), situated under Tema, has issued a stern warning to the public against meddling with the power distributor’s network, citing potential risks to the company, customers, and the general populace.
The caution comes following the district’s identification of a fuse burnout in a 200KVA transformer located in Asikuma, a town within its jurisdiction. This fuse, designed to safeguard the transformer, was discovered to be damaged on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
The company’s attention was drawn to this issue after observing frequent tampering with the distribution network, particularly by individuals, possibly non-company electricians, during outages in attempts to restore power.
However, such actions pose significant hazards, as these individuals may lack familiarity with the specific network design of the area.
Ing. Rejoice Garfo, the Juapong District Engineer, reiterated this warning on a stakeholder WhatsApp platform for residents of the district.
She urged that “if such interference continues, the entire transformer could be damaged. This would result in customers being without power until a new transformer is installed.”
The Juapong District Manager, Ing. William Ahenkorah, mentioned that “replacing these transformers consumes significant company resources, diverting funds from other projects and straining the company’s finances.”
Ing. Ahenkorah also stressed that before any work is done on the distribution network, the team ensures that power is switched off when necessary.
He explained, “This is crucial to prevent accidents, injuries, and potential fatalities. Just imagine if an unauthorized individual attempts to work on the network during an outage and the power is suddenly restored. This could result in loss of life.”
Engineer Ahenkorah advises customers and the general public to report any power supply issues, outages, or related problems directly to the ECG for resolution, rather than attempting to resolve them independently.